One of my all-time favorite performances was seeing Alpha Blondy under a full moon at Reggae on the River sometime last century. Oh, did I mention they'll be a full moon over SNWMF 2013 on Sunday night....?

Isn't the band based in France? I know he is from the Ivory Coast, lived in NYC for a while where he had some drug related problems. He moved back to the Ivory Coast, then found music, moved to France, where the Solar System, a band of players from many countries, came to be. I have seen him perform a few times. He is a bit high maintainance, but he puts on a fantastic show. The band is top notch, super tight, and love to play.
We are truly blessed to have him on the SNWMF stage!

The shots are from 2005, Daniel.
Tarzan; why speak about the past issues? Because they shaped the present. Without his need for medical attention after his NYC daze, he would not have discovered his musical career. Alpha is not the first or last performer to deal with drug issues. I didn't say he had made mistakes with his usage, only that his life changed dramatically as a result of the usages and we are beneficiaries of the transition.

That was sunday night at ROTR in 05. The last time he was in the States I believe. That was my first ever Reggae festival and I did not know who Alpha Blondy was in 05 and skipped the Sunday night show as I was to tired to get down to the bowl after thursday- saturday. This time I will not be making that mistake!

I am shocked I never heard about that show. Bummer. Was 2 years after I moved to Bend, OR. I love being apart of the SNWMF phorum family now as I always hear about shows that I might have not known about otherwise!

the likkle sus-supe bout Alpha is off base ... we all humans & to err is human & anything you tink the bro may have done is what's called "errors of omission - not errors of commission" ... Alpha ia total sweet heart ... Ever ya mind him one of the truly great music man of a generation ... pure unadulterated love ... his break-thru album 'Jerusalem' will go up in the history of music as the profound theme of peace between cousins who were never created to be at war in the first place ... Shalom / Salem ... Get it ???????? ... It don't get no simpler than dat ... "what is hidden from the wise & prudent is revealed to the babes in suckling"

PS: Alpha's recording 'Jerusalem' was the last recording Carlton Barrett put his chops into before they took his life

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Go AlphaGo SNWMF - Warren & Gretchen ... Congrats ... the 2013 bill is beautiful - as per usual you continue to set the bar by which all other festival are measured

ps: they slipped that horse-tranq duppy dust into a spliff & tricked him unawares to puff that diabolical sh*t ... Alpha is such a sensitive bro - it sent him to the E.R. & now someone want to diss the bro for dat ... come on brothers - lets get together & love one another

Get Together (the Youngbloods)

Love is but a song we sing
fears' the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
or make the angels cry

Though the dove is on the wing
and you may not know why

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
and try to love one another right now

Some may come and some may go
He will surely pass
When the one that left us here
returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
fading in the grass

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now

If you hear the song I sing
you will understand...listen
You hold the key to love and fear
all in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
Its there at your command

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now

I said.....

*Come on people now
smile on your brother
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now
right now
right now

No disrespect intended. We don't have to rewrite history. Just learn from it. read what I said carefully. I said he had some drug related problems.
I would say getting dosed and having a long term bad experience from the dust qualifies as a drug related problem.

>getting dosed and having a long term bad experience from the dust qualifies as a drug related problem.

Alpha did not have a long term bad experience and he does not have any drug related problem

>He is a bit high maintainance

who say ! ... 40 year in the music biz I been backstage, dressing room, recording studio, uptown
downtown & gully bank with nuff band and Alpha stand out as one of the most humble,
loving, good humored & positively intentioned of them all ...

I don't want to hear anymore negative vibes about this saint of a man. Alpha Blondy is one of the true originators and has done tons of hard work in helping others through foundations and charity. He has played before audiences of over 300,000 in Africa. Respect this man. He himself suffers from many ailments and often has to be hospitalized...malaria being just one of those ailments. Bless and respect the man, his music, his heart, and his message.

Alpha Blondy (Seydou Kone) was named United Nations Ambassador of Peace for Côte d'Ivoire in 2005. He made great efforts to bring about a peaceful solution to his country's political and physical division which was a result of an attempted Coup in 2001. As of March 2007 a peace agreement was signed and implemented, due to the hard work of many people including Alpha Blondy. Alpha now reaches out further with the newly created not-for-profit, non-government, non-political, charitable foundation, Alpha Blondy Jah Glory Foundation, which works towards ending social injustice and generational poverty by giving people the tools that they need to help themselves. He strongly believes in helping the poor (Jah Glory), and also that children should not be hurt. The Foundation strives to create and implement grassroots programs at the village level, such as the Women’s Self-Sufficiency Micro Loan Program, to teach women who are caring for multiple orphans how to start and manage their own business, to better provide for their families, as well as other sustainable projects, such as the Tafari-Genesis Retreat Camp for Children (Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso). It especially hopes to bring joy and hope to children who have been affected by civil wars, former child soldiers, and those who suffer from chronic life-threatening illnesses, such as sickle-cell anemia, malaria, asthma, etc.

Talking about Alpha Blondy, people think usually of music and indeed since 1980 he has written at least 17 albums and 194 titles. This itself indicates the great value he represents for his fans. Alpha is no longer an Ivorian star but an International Mega Star because of his fight for peace and unity all around the world. One example was his single “Who Are You” with Ophelie Winter against antipersonnel mines. He has also participated at many humanitarian and charity concerts, such as the concert in Senegal in March 2006 for the eradication of Malaria in Africa (where he appeared along with many other celebrities). He has done much, much more of this type of work in Côte d'Ivoire itself, especially at his annual free concert at Bassam beach called “festa”.

While at a concert in Park City, UT, Alpha saw that my friend was on crutches and had just had foot surgery. He personally called us out and invited us to the front row so my friend's foot would not get stepped on. He shook both of our hands and kneeled and wished my friend good health while putting his hand on my friend's shoulder while he lead into a song.

By all accounts, Blondy became addicted to the drug angel dust, and he began to spend much of his time busking in Central Park, accompanying himself with a drum. Blondy was finally arrested and institutionalized at New York's Bellevue Hospital. Released after a year, he ran into even worse problems when he returned home to Ivory Coast.His parents, confronted with his dreadlocks and total destitution, believed he had completely lost his senses and institutionalized him once again. Blondy endured a brutal two years of forced medication at an asylum in the Ivory Coast capital of Abidjan, but he continued to write songs. After his release his fortunes finally began to improve. Taking the name Alpha Blondy, he performed on an Ivory Coast talent-search television program, First Chance. Spotted by a producer, he recorded an album, Jah Glory, that went on to become an African million-seller.

The article is true, but hey, on with the rest of the man's life. He has overcome his demon. Props and respect.
Now. nuf said. I am looking forward to seeing another fine concert from a stellar performer and his incredible band.

brother Guise ... ya touched off likkle friction with some of your comment bout Alpha ... i went check your suggested link at dammgoodtunes ... the name 'damm' rub me likkle wrong & their writing bout Alpha has plenty positive info but still a hollywood flash to it & is a mix of fact, partial fact & supeficiality from paid-by-the-word journalists ... take note that nowhere in this 'damm' account does it name sources for their assertions that Alpha became addicted to drug angel dust, nor nowhere say Alpha a "high maintainance" person to deal with

do u know Alpha personally or have accurate trustworthy 3rd person testimony that will stand the test of cross-examination? ... i do know Alpha personally & it don't ring true.

wi all got some degree of human flaw & there can be a time and place where it become necessary to point out the human flaws of cultural leaders if & when these human flaw are being justified as role models to the massive ... for example, recently tings been said bout 2 brothers who have made a great cultural contribution - Burning Spear & Bunny Wailer & i.m.o. some of this need be said ... said way, in the day Yabby You drop card on Bob Marley mano a mano - for teaching a generation of reggae yute it was ok to "tour & whore", & encourage: rudi-ism, men-made religion & the monkey-mind of violent inclinations etc ... Even for as great as Bob's inspiration & musicality still is, Bob needed Yabby's reality check & Bob had the sense to not even try fi argue with Yabby bout that ... historical fact iya & for those with interest in it ... dig deep into the footnotes

But no way this the same situation with Alpha ... Alpha in his music and in his personal life an ambassador of pure goodness.

bro Guise - mi take note that in your own way you do credit Alpha's music ... how bout instead of keep this contro going wi cease & desist now & take it to the high road? ... otherdumb this become one more feedback loop of your karma run over my dogma or verse-vica my dogma piss on your karma tire ... how bout wi all simply celebrate the rare gift of Alpha gracing the SNWMF stage

bro Guise if you caengetovahstubbonmentality & need last say ... run wit it ... mi got no more fi say on it except its all about the 1 luv & natural mystics runnin thru the air

Here's an Alpha Blondy documentary that has lots of good early photos and footage from appearances he made in the early 80s that I had never seen before. It's in french but his music and message transcends all languages imo....

Hey Pmakeya no friction intended. I said I am looking forward to the music.
Here is another photo of your friend to help cool your perception that I was attacking Alpha in any way.
Get excited! He is coming to sing for us.

Alpha Blondy is the big draw for me. Happy about Groundation and Max Romeo, Stephen Marley but Alpha Blondy is the reason I want to come this year. 3 Artists I have been wanting to see and after this show will have done so. Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff and Alpha Blondy. Saw Jimmy and Winston last year and this year it will be Alpha Blondy! Super excited to see that The Solar System will be coming also.

I listened but am not sure who does the opening? Anyone help out? Did not attend last year. Still sad about missing LKJ.

I love Alpha Blondy's music and need to pick up this album. Cannot wait to see him perform and see what the set list is like! So many songs I want to hear. My Fiance is holding her breath for I Love Paris. Would love to hear some others opinions on what songs you would like to hear!